


Back To You

by musketrois (B_kate)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-29 02:26:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6355033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_kate/pseuds/musketrois
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Louis has serious commitment issues, but Harry is more than willing to wait.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back To You

**Author's Note:**

> This is based off the song Back To You by Twin Forks.

_Follow the signs right back to you_  
Back to you, back to you  
I know they wind right back to you  
Back to you 

-

Louis was just finishing putting gas in his car one afternoon when he saw it. A tattoo parlor.

He hadn’t gotten new ink in a while, but that isn't what drew him to the shop. On the front window was painted a beautiful rose with a dagger through it.

It had been two years since Louis had ran, but he still clearly remembered the conversation he shared with Harry about the matching symbols.

_Harry laid in the v of Louis’ legs against the headboard of his bed._

_“What do you think about matching tattoos?” Harry inquired._

_“I think that sounds pretty permanent.”_

_“Well, yeah. But just think about it. We would get to have a piece of each other permanently etched into our skin.”_

_They were both no stranger to tattoos. Their arms were littered with them, but they both knew Louis had trouble with commitment._

_“What would you want to get?” Louis said as he began running his fingers through the curls on Harry’s head._

_“I was thinking about a rose and dagger. Or something nautical.” Harry purred._

_“Any reasons why?”_

_“Nautical, because the sea can be both rough and peaceful, like us. At the same time, a lot of the symbols for the theme are about finding home. We are each other’s home, so it would be perfect._

_I want a rose and a dagger, because one is soft and pretty like me. The other is considered dangerous, but it has a hidden beauty like you. Either way, they compliment each other just like we do.”_

_Louis pressed his lips to Harry’s forehead, “That’s beautiful, love.”_

And that was the end of the tattoo conversation. 

Now Louis sat in his car staring at the neon bulbs that lit up the open sign. Before he could think twice about it, he was parking in front of the shop and walking through the door.

-

He was lucky the shop had a walk-in appointment available. As he sat in the chair with the buzz of the tattoo gun assaulting his ears, he continued thinking about his relationship with Harry.

The tattoo parlor was obviously not the first thing that made Louis think of Harry since he left.

He thought of him when he saw cats and guitars. He thought of him when he saw kale and other disgustingly healthy food. He thought of him as the sun was rising and setting, and as the stars twinkled bright in the night sky.

Most of all he thought of him when he saw green eyes and curly hair accompanied by a smile. The sparkle Louis always saw in those eyes haunted his dreams. All Harry was and stood for haunted him on a daily basis.

Maybe it was time he started following the signs.

-

He had been driving the rest of the day. It was now past 9 at night, but he continued on. Louis passed a sign that read _Chicago: 20 MI_

His thoughts were a flurry of regret and anticipation. There was a knot of anxiety sitting in his stomach, and Louis knew it would not dissipate until he went through with this half-formed plan.

He would be a liar if he said he never had regrets about leaving their relationship.

You couldn’t say it was a perfect relationship, but it was pretty close. They didn’t fight often, and they told each other daily that they loved each other.

Their relationship was in no immediately danger when he took off. It was solely Louis’ choice. His life was aimless. Unlike Harry, he wasn’t in school and could pick up and leave whenever he wanted to. So that’s what he did.

Harry increasingly hinted at moving in together. He was making plans for their future lives together, and Louis crumbled under the pressure of commitment like he always does.  
But now he had a resolve that he knew could not be shaken.

He wanted to share life with another person. He wanted to travel the world with the one he loved. He wanted a family. He wanted so much, but he knew he needed to change for all his wishes to come true.

Louis was ready to grow up and in the process let someone share everything life had to offer with him.

-

He parked outside a small house near the University of Chicago campus.

Louis walked up the familiar blue steps to the worn door to the house and knocked. He thought he was going to pass out over what he was about to do, but as soon as the door swung open and he saw who was standing there, he knew what he needed to say.

“Hi. I know this probably isn’t a good time and you’ve probably moved on, but I have a lot to say.”

Harry stood in shock in pajamas on his own door step. Somehow he pulled himself together and nodded for Louis to continue.

“I know I fucked this all up. I also know it’s been two years, and you probably hate my guts. I had to try though, I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t come here and try this crazy stunt.”

Louis carefully removed the bandage from his left forearm and showed Harry the red skin where the newly placed dagger rested.

“I’ll get all the matching tattoos in the world with you, if it means staying by your side forever. I’ve done a lot of thinking, and I now realize I can’t run forever. I need to learn that commitment isn’t as scary as my father led me to believe. Everywhere I’ve looked over these last two years, I’ve seen signs. These signs have always told me I should return to you, but I never listened. Today, I finally listened. That’s all.”

Louis took a deep breath and looked up from where he had been staring at Harry’s shoes. What he saw took his breath away.

His beautiful boy was standing in the doorway with tears in his eyes and a hand clamped over his left forearm.

He slowly took his hand away to reveal a perfectly tattooed rose.

“I always knew you would come back.”

Louis flew across the threshold and into Harry’s arms. They both sobbed as they held each other.

And Louis knew in that moment that this was his home and his forever, and he was perfectly fine with that.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this work, please leave feedback. :)
> 
> You can find me at my [tumblr](http://www.musketrois.tumblr.com).


End file.
